Misadventures
by Coloured Red
Summary: They were like characters from a badly written book, in that chaos always followed in their wake. But with the return of an old friend, just how much chaos could they stir up? Jushiro/OC, Shinji/OC and Shunsui/OC


**Okay, this is the official first chap. of the story, but a preview only. Until I feel comfortable enough with how the story's being shaped, I will (possibly) not post any more.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's, and make no profit other than enjoyment from writing this.**

* * *

**_- Prologue -_**

_A red sea, cracked glass and single silhouette against the flames were all she could see. Violent shadows flickered in and out of a state of existing, and she wondered only about a thing of time – about how much longer she might last._

_Yet even though there was no hope, seconds lessening all at once, she was unable to feel saddened by that fact._

_The figure approached, light shifting to reveal a woman bathed in black. Her clothes were that of the other attackers – a strange black uniform with loose pants she knew to be kosode. One of the men present also wore a white haori over this uniform._

_She held a sword, nothing more than metal to kill with. It took the observing girl a moment longer realise the green of its hilt matched the ivy of the woman's eyes._

_'Please.' She now whimpered, pulling her small legs to her chest. She was, at first, unsure of what she was pleading for._

_The woman remained calm, as if a child's plea had no effect, and the girl would only wonder how someone with such sad, gentle eyes could murder her family._

_They were monsters. All of them._

_They were monsters, and when it was the monster who said that, all lines were blurred._

_'Please don't kill me.' she repeated. _

_This time, it was as if she broke through the woman's daze. She blinked, a slow awakening, eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, before tilting her head to the side; much like a bird._

_'If I help you, I will be a traitor,' explained the woman, taking but a small step closer, 'but if I kill you, I will have killed a child. Which is worse?'_

_She waited for an answer, but the girl only flinched as her dull stare was returned. For as openly as the girl displayed her emotions within her violet eyes, so too did the woman keep her feelings shrouded in mystery. She had wonder how this woman could turn off her heart so easily._

_'I can see you're not comfortable answering. That's good. Had you answered, had you asked me to be either of those things, I _would_ have killed you.' The woman at last sighed, running a hand through her hair._

_She cast a glance over her shoulder, as if looking for someone, although she turned her attention to the girl once more._

_She bent down, not exactly smiling, but with an expression to the same effect. She had a feeling that the woman didn't smile too often. Her hand was held extended, and the girl only watched with extreme caution._

_'You asked me to let you live.' The woman pointed out patiently, despite not having much time at all._

_And the girl could only stare at her hand in disbelief. This woman, this monster, would kill her family yet spared _her_? _

_Why?_

_But she couldn't pass up an opportunity to live. To gain revenge. Because the moment this woman relaxed around her, the girl would take her life – as was her right. If this woman dared steal those of her family, dared commit genocide against her people, then it was fair to take her life._

_And after that, the others would fall._

_She was prepared to do anything to wait out the long years of her life, to fight weakness every day, until she had completed those tasks._

_And so she reached for the woman's hand. It was warm._

* * *

**- Rising -**

Izumi and Manami were the oddest pair one could ever hope to find.

And it wasn't so much that they were opposites, but rather that the two caused a lot of trouble for each other.

Manami more so in that regard.

It was a constant source of amazement to those who knew the two, given how much they argued over little things, that the two remained so close over the years.

However – although Izumi did tend to wonder about those things – it was not where her mind was currently.

Instead, she was focusing on Manami as the woman tilted her head back and drunk the entire _ochoko_ of sake. The cup hit the table with a loud thud, but one that was almost drowned out by the drone of voices and the thud of music that usually filled the womens' popular haunt.

'Haven't you had enough yet?' Izumi sighed.

Manami's gray eyes found Izumi's brown ones, before creasing as she shot her friend a large grin.

'Nope, never, nein, hardly, _iya_, in your dreams-'

'I get it.' Izumi assured, gently interrupting Manami.

Manami grinned, tossed her sandy-brown hair over her shoulder – easy to do, given it only reached just under her arms – before slinging her arm around Izumi's shoulder.

'Are you sureee?' Manami teased, pressing her nose against Izumi's cheek.

Izumi was quite familiar with the brunette's behaviour, the two having been friends since their time in the Shinigami Academy over one hundred years ago.

Within the first five minutes, Izumi had been sure she knew Manami. She had assumed the girl was stubborn, childish, passionate, dramatic and incredibly overly-physical. As time passed, Izumi learnt that although Manami was all these things, there was a lot more to discover, and Izumi relished the chance to learn something new.

For one thing, the brunette shinigami happened to be quite an angst-filled drunk.

'I am sure. I think it was quite clear you haven't finished yet.' Izumi at last replied, laughing with unnatural loudness. As for the black-haired Izumi, she tended to become very mischievous and loud.

'Good. You're such a beautiful bunny.' Manami declared, pulling away and ruffling Izumi's hair.

Normally, Izumi would've have set about fixing her hair back into her bun. Now, she didn't bother because...well, Izumi was just as drunk as Manami.

'Thanks!' Izumi grinned enthusiastically, which was once more out of character for the woman. 'Maybe the guys here will take an interest as well. Or girls, I'm not biased either way.'

Manami giggled and pulled up the sleeve of her black _kosode._ 'Of course _you_ aren't, you sly, little, soulless minx.'

Izumi rolled her eyes, but in doing so, found her attention drawn to the newcomer. He was so obviously uncomfortable in a rowdy place like "The Root", that Izumi found herself highly amused by this. The sight of Jushiro Ukitake in a cramped, rather disreputable place such as this had sent her over the edge and into a fit of uncontrollable giggles.

'Come on, Mana. We have a visitor.' Izumi urged, standing with steady feet. Out of the pair, it was the more timid of the two –Izumi – who better held her liquor.

'Oh, yes. Can't disappoint someone like him.' Mana agreed with a horrible attempt at seriousness.

Izumi just let herself laugh again, dragging her friend through the crowd.

Jushiro's brown eyes found Izumi's, and she noted with surprise that no small smile wound its way onto his lips.

_I'd think he'd be happy to see his sister...or Manami._ Izumi frowned.

A moment later, she stumbled on some obscure bump – probably her own foot – yet it was Jushiro's arm that she met, rather than the floor.

Izumi looked up at the man to whom she shared so many similarities with, and smiled away her thanks. Manami swept past the siblings, a goofy expression adorning her innocent features, and shouted, 'Let's away!'

'Come on.' Jushiro urged his sister, Izumi.

Izumi allowed the white-haired Captain to wrap a single arm around her shoulders and guide her from the bar without any further mishaps. She'd already collected three bruises from that night alone, and it was a common assumption that Izumi regularly got into fights given her constant battered state.

The truth; she was stupidly clumsy.

Outside in the streets of the Seireitei, Izumi attempted to move on her own, but Jushiro's grip didn't loosen. The night air was cool and refreshing, reawakening the senses of both Izumi and Manami. Jushiro sensed Izumi moving away from him, and finally removed his arm.

Accidently, and like they always did, Manami's and the Squad 13 Captain's gazes clashed. Izumi sighed wearily as Manami broke down into inevitable tears.

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! It's just, when you look like that, I can't help but- bu-' babbled the brunette, before welcoming Izumi's embrace like a child would anyone.

'Why is she only ever like this around me?' sighed Jushiro.

'She's only like this when she's drunk, and she does this around other people too. Maybe Mana wouldn't cry if she hadn't been waiting seventy years for you to kiss her.' Argued Izumi, and then added thoughtfully, '...I wish Kisuke had kissed me before he disappeared.'

Those words seemed to fix Manami, as the woman tore her head from Izumi's neck and sent the black-haired shinigami an intimidating glare. Given Manami was four inches shorter, the task was difficult to achieve.

Manami made it look effortless.

'Nope. Ki-ki is my brother and I will never allow him to use you.' She denied without her common round-about speech.

Izumi smiled, somewhere between her usual quiet state, and her typical drunken behaviour. 'Okay then. Jushiro?'

The Captain blinked, chocolate eyes serious and weighing heavily over his sister and friend. At last, he managed a pathetic excuse for a smile, and said, 'I came to take you home. I also have news from Yoruichi, but that can wait until the morning.'

'Oh, really? I didn't think Mana and I were that drunk.' Izumi pondered her words with sincere, tacky, thoughtfulness.

'Yeah, we're not that-!' Manami hiccupped, before turning away from Jushiro and attempting to control her strange, strangled sobs.

'I'd have to disagree. Now, I think it's probably best to go home.' Jushiro prompted.

Manami rolled her eyes and slung her arm around Izumi's shoulder.

'What say you, little sis?'

'I'm older,' Izumi objected cheerfully, 'and I'd have to agree with Jushiro. I think we should leave.'

Manami, who knew perfectly well to why Izumi thought this was so, grinned to cover up her true, deeper thoughts. Izumi knew that her friend had also been surprised when the dark-haired woman picked up on her brother's odd behaviour, given it wasn't the usual thing for Izumi to notice.

'Aw, bunny-boo, you're no fun!' Manami whined.

Once again, Manami continued to cling to Izumi, relying on the somewhat more sociably-composed and acceptable woman.

But either of them missed the odd look still clinging to Jushiro's eyes.

Both of them were worried by it.

* * *

Izumi woke at the Ugendo Quarters with quite the headache, and a thorough regret for always giving into Manami's insistent requests to go drinking.

It was with that headache still pounding in her head that Izumi also promised herself to see Captain Unohana and gain her help in her recovery. Manami was the more enthusiastic drinker, albeit more strongly affected, and knew the best ways to deal with a hangover.

Rising, Izumi took a moment to regain her sense of balance and wait until her room came into focus. It wasn't anything special; a _futon_ on the floor, white sheets dishevelled, and a wooden chest against one wall for her personal belongings.

Izumi wasn't one for sentimentality, and thus had very few things other than her clothes, a few books and one painting of black cat she suspected was modelled off Yoruichi. That painting was the only thing of true value within the room – besides Izumi's zanpakuto.

Although the picture was full of life and remained quite the masterpiece, Izumi kept it for her own, _sentimental_ reasons. That being because it had been painted by Ruka Yuchia.

At just the thought of her old friend's name, Izumi mentally shut down for a moment. Losing her eleven years after the escape of Shinji, Kisuke, Hiyori and the other various captain-level shinigami had been devastating – to put it mildly. And even thirty years later, Izumi refused to acknowledge that Ruka was truly gone.

_Izumi, get it together. The past is the past, and you can't change it by being woeful._ snapped her wonderfully kind zanpakuto.

Izumi eagerly let her irritation become known to her zanpakuto, offering no reply, and although the emotion was rare to Izumi, she wasn't surprised and neither was the curt Jinsei no Yume.

'Bunny-booo, I've come for your soulll...' called a detached, haunting voice.

'Hey Manami.' Izumi turned to greet her friend with a tired smile.

'Aw, how'd you know?' pouted the brunette.

Izumi ran a hand through her hair, attempting to tidy the rippling night that now hung loose to her waist. It never ceased to amaze Manami, and nor did she stop voicing it, that Izumi could manage to twist all that into a bun.

'Your voice. I think I'd know what your voice sounded like after knowing you for so long.'

Manami grinned, although it was hard to see given the sun shining behind her silhouette in Izumi's door frame.

'Well that sucks. At least Jushiro has the heart to pretend to be surprised.' Manami pointed out happily.

Izumi felt her left eyebrow rise, before finally saying, 'I think it's more likely that Jushiro is actually surprised by you.'

'Really? But that just makes him so much more adorable!' Manami declared, hands clasped before her as she grinned like a kid in a candy shop.

Izumi smiled gently at her friend's overreaction, and proceeded to pull on her usual shinigami uniform.

'Do you have something that can help?' Izumi asked, tying on her Squad Four Lieutenant badge.

'Why does it sound like you're accusing me of being a nuisance?'

Izumi arched her back, stretching the stiff muscles, before walking out of her room at the Ugendo. Despite being a member of Squad Four – their Lieutenant, to be precise – Izumi stayed at the Ukitake residence at the Squad Thirteen Barracks in case Jushiro needed her help. Manami had also taken up residence there half a century ago, when Kisuke had burnt their original home down during an unfortunate slipup whilst performing an experiment of his.

Seeing as Jushiro didn't mind, despite Manami being a most distressing person to have around, the brunette woman had ended up staying permanently.

Thus why Manami, who happened to be an energetic morning person, was also ensuring Izumi was never late to work.

'I'm not. It was a question.' Izumi responded, pulling her hair into a tight bun.

'Orange juice. And water; drink lots of that. Why are you asking me anyway? You're the Lieutenant of the most advanced healer in the Soul Society.'

Izumi shrugged, sock-covered feet padding across the wooden deck of the Ugendo. She wished that her friend would shut up for a moment.

But it was Manami, and that was never going to happen. It was like asking Izumi to become angry.

In any case, Izumi probably would have liked her silence far less.

'Yes, but you have more experience with hangovers. Anyway, we need to see Jushiro.' Izumi directed the conversation onto the most urgent matter.

'Ah, yes. That.'

'Mana, do you have any idea what I'm talking about?'

'...nope!'

Izumi sighed. 'Last night, Jushiro wanted to tell us something but decided to wait. I promised we'd meet him in the morning.'

'Oooh! Do you think Jushi will have bed-hair? That'd be adorable!' squealed Manami predictably.

Izumi stifled an oncoming yawn. 'Probably not; he'll be working at this moment.'

Manami, of course, pouted a little, before winding her arm through her friend's. Despite Izumi being the more mature of the two – and the less talkative – she had a figure absent of any alluring curves, whilst Manami possessed a body that caught many off guard once they discovered her personality.

Izumi supposed that it was appropriate, given how the light-haired brunette often contradicted herself.

'We can't keep poor, lonely Jushiro waiting any longer!' she declared, 'Let's go!'

Manami sprung into a shunpo, tugging Izumi along behind her. Given how close the Ugendo Quarters were to Squad Thirteen, it took less than a minute to reach Jushiro's office. It gave Izumi a moment to attempt to focus on _why_ her brother needed to see them. She was sure that neither herself nor Manami had done anything illegal recently, and neither had there been any major upset within the Soul Society since the disappearance of all those high-ranking shinigami and Kisuke and Tessai Tsukabishi's arrest and escape.

'Ooooh, Jushiiirroooo!' Manami sung, twirling theatrically as she entered Jushiro's office.

The said man looked up, startled from whatever revere he had been trapped within, and stared at smaller woman.

'...do you have any orange juice?'

'Why are you asking?' responded the white-haired man hesitantly.

Manami then grinned, bouncing on the heels of her feet, and declared, 'Because it helps with hangovers!'

'Just, um, to get the point, why did you need to speak to us?' Izumi cut in.

The frown returned. Jushiro's eyes darkened, he, despite his already emaciated appearance, appeared _old_. That, despite being the truth, frightened Izumi more than she would care to admit.

'I think you to had better sit. And I'm afraid I don't have any orange juice here.' Jushiro added.

Manami pouted, yet Izumi knew that her mind was also reeling after seeing that which Izumi had also noticed in her older brother.

'Right, well, go ahead and spill all the dirty details. Who was murdered this time?' sighed the brunette, jumping from the floor to her usual, awkward seat amongst the papers on Jushiro's desk.

Izumi, who preferred her space, took to the comfortable futon by the wall.

With two pairs of eyes on him – one chocolate, the other a sparkling gray – Jushiro began to feel just a little intimidated by the women. Both were formidable in their own right, yet it was the crazy, wild passion Manami possessed that had him worried.

Izumi could see that what he was about to say was expected to procure a violent reaction.

The pale-skinned shinigami captain coughed.

'Jushiro?' Izumi questioned, worry threaded through his name.

'Don't worry.' He waved it off, before leaning back in his chair and glancing up at Manami. A moment later, his eyes shot to the door behind them.

'Captain Ukitake, the Head Captain wants these filled out by the-' Lieutenant Kaien Shiba paused in surprise, taking in the two female shinigami, '...end of the week.'

'Thank you, Kaien.' Jushiro sighed, leaving Izumi to puzzle over whether this was said with exasperation or thankfulness.

'I'LL GET THEM!' Manami shouted, launching herself from the table and across the room. Her sudden jump scattered the neat piles of paper stacked on Jushiro's desk.

She landed, wide grin spreading across her lips, as she leaned endearingly forward towards Kaien. He blinked, startled by her sudden closeness.

'Heya, Kaien-kun.' She murmured, taking the inch-high pile of papers.

Izumi hated to even look at them; she spent enough time around the Head Captain's paperwork as the Lieutenant of Squad Four.

'Thank you, Kaien.' Jushiro added as their sandy-haired friend jumped away from his Lieutenant.

'No problem. Did I interrupt?' he inquired curiously.

Jushiro hesitated before replying, and Izumi shifted so that her chin rested on her palm and she could more comfortable observe the three others in the room. 'You should stay. I was going to inform you of this anyway, so it makes no difference now.' He conceded.

Kaien nodded, and Izumi curled her legs closer to her body in silent indication that he should sit. The dark-haired man nodded and took the seat.

'Lieutenant Ukitake.' He nodded politely.

'It's good to see you again. How do you get up so early?' she wondered sincerely.

Manami giggled at Izumi's confusion, whilst Jushiro just frowned, once more in deep thought.

Kaien answered with, 'Miyako. You should understand; I thought you had the same understanding with Manami?'

'Ah, Kaien, I don't think you understand…'

'Nope! He's perfectly right, just don't tell anyone. Izumi and I wanted it to be a secret, though, so we'd appreciate it if you keep it very hush-hush.' Manami lied cheerfully.

Kaien let out a honest chuckle and clapped Izumi on the shoulder. 'You,' he laughed, 'are hopeless. That was a joke.'

'...oh.'

Jushiro coughed once more, although this time it was a staged, little, polite thing meant to capture the attention of those in the room.

'Hm, yes, dearest and most beloved of the Ukitakes?' Izumi didn't even have to look to know it was Manami who so enthusiastically said that.

'Last night the shinigami stationed at Karakura Town found something.'

'Don't they always?' asked Izumi.

Kaien added, 'But for it to involve Lieutenants...'

And Manami, who was the Fourth Seat of Squad Five. If it involved Lieutenants, yet also a Fourth Seat...

_And even I can't think of a single thing that fits the requirements._ Her zanpakuto mentally commented with typical conceitedness.

In the distance, the tense silence was broken by the faint cries of the two loud and new members of Squad Thirteen; Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentaro Kotsubaki. A very noisy hell was coming.

_Well, for Jushiro. _Izumi thought with silent empathy.

She noticed Jushiro sigh, and the way he seemed almost impatient now. True, there had been many interruptions since he had first attempted to tell them something.

'Well, I think I'll leave since the demon-pair of the Seireitei are coming.' Manami announced with a sort of threatening cheerfulness. Izumi would not have doubted that her friend would have left, but for Jushiro's hand wrapping tightly around Manami's wrist.

'We found her.'

'….what?' Izumi's voice was small, timid, and battling against a wave of everything. The great nothing within her swelled, repulsed, and Izumi welcomed it.

But it did not make the words less of a truth.

'We found Ruka.'

* * *

**Follow if you like this, and review if you have anything to...review?**

**Notes:**

**Ochoko - small, cylindrical cup used when drinking sake**

**Kosode - a black top/robe worn by both sexes**

**Futon - a padded quilt or mattress used as either a bed or on a chair frame**

**Iya - no or nay in Japanese**


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